Summer of Tournaments – Day 44
Having now stayed one night at the Cromwell and enjoyed their free breakfast, I am prepared to make a rather bold statement. I’ve stayed in perhaps hundreds of different rooms in countless hotels over the past 13 years that I’ve been doing these reports. I’ve stayed at the Ritz, the Marriott’s, the Hiltons, the W’s and the assortment of Caesars properties. This is, without question, the best place I’ve stayed at in terms of service and quality.
My USA TODAY was in a plastic Cromwell bag on the door in the morning and the coffee in the elevator lobby was I believe Starbucks French Roast. When I arrived at my room last night, there was turndown service with two waters, a bag of gourmet cookies and the robes laid out across the bed.
The only negatives that I can muster are that the room is on the small side and because I’m on the side with Flamingo Dr., there is the noise of sirens and people. These are small quibbles when I see the quality of service. The free breakfast (let’s see how long this continues knowing Caesars propensity to take away anything that doesn’t show a profit) is not your run-of-the-mill freebie you see in most places. You’re greeted by the host who simply checks your name off the hotel guest list. The place they serve breakfast (as you’ll see in the pictures) is a bar alcove at night with a DJs and is roped off for guests. There is a omelet-to-order station, and a stand with potatoes O’Brian, sausage, bacon, oatmeal, fresh cut fruits, breads, and melons. The food is prepared fresh and is delicious. The coffee is fresh and the orange juice freshly squeezed. Anywhere else, this is a $25 dollar breakfast.
My decision to not give them any play here soon evaporated because now I want to get invited back, so after breakfast I played some penny games (video poker is abysmal) and actually did pretty good going from one game to the next after hitting a bonus or losing $20. After the session of putting on about a 100 tier points, I left up $25.
Jeanne Marie (noahcat), who came into town with her husband Norman and joined us yesterday at the golf tournament, is an LVA favorite. She’s big time into the different hotels toiletries and I’m the first of our group to be staying at the Cromwell, so she wanted some samples. I gathered them up and drove to the Palazzo where I parked my car (a great parking spot for this portion of the Strip is the underground parking here just of Sands). I played some Quick Quads for nickels (an actual reasonable play in a very unreasonable place to gamble), but though I had a good share of quads, I just couldn’t get to my cash out point and lost.
The waterfall between the Palazzo and the Venetian
The pond area at the Palazzo entrance. Quite understated for the usual displays here
I headed across the street to the Wynn. JM was staying at the Encore. I didn’t have her phone number, so I was hoping to find her somewhere in the casino.
Beautiful carousel of flowers in the Wynn Atrium
Both the Wynn and the Encore were not very busy, so it wasn’t too difficult to see JM playing. However, I couldn’t find her or Norman anywhere. I called up David and asked if he had her number. He didn’t but he thought Harv might. David gave me Harv’s number and I called him who then gave me her cell number. I finally reached her cell, but only got a voice mail. I left a message to call me and said I’d hang at the Encore for about 20 minutes. I played some Buffalo games and lost (of course) and the call came. She, Norm, and Paul were at the Rio. So, I walked back to the Palazzo, picked up my car, and drove to the Rio where I found them playing in the VP section. Yes, it seems like a lot just to deliver some toiletries, but JM is worth it.
Today on the agenda was to pick up Terry (dorianmac) at the airport at 5:40 and then meet Cindy, her daughter Daniele, and her boyfriend Robert who were driving in from San Diego at the same time. I had some time to kill, so I went across the street to the Palms and saw the movie HERCULES. It got a pretty good rating from Rotten Tomatoes, but I found it to be just what it was, a lot of fight scenes and The Rock showing off his muscles. I did play the 9/6 50-plays for 2-cents for a while, but like the rest of this trip, it was another losing session. I got a text from Terry saying the plane was going to be 20 minutes late because Denver has a big storm going by the airport. I hung out at the corner bar in the airport enjoying a beer ($10!).
While at the airport, a text from Cindy came in saying they were in town, so I suggested they check in (the kids are at the Flamingo) and after I dropped Terry off at the Mirage, I’d come meet them at the Diamond Lounge in the Flamingo. Terry is double booked at both the Mirage and the Four Queens as both offered some free play and meals he didn’t want to lose. After dropping him off at the Mirage, it was agreed that he’s check in there and then walk down to the Cromwell and meet us so I could then run him downtown to check into the Four Queens. It’s blasphemy for an advantage player to turn down free play and food.
I joined Cindy and the kids in the Diamond Lounge. It was past the 6:30 deadline for hot food (stupid), so we ordered drinks and they had some chips and other small appetizers. Cindy and I went over to the Cromwell for her to get settled in and Terry joined us. It turned out when he arrived at the Mirage; they had him booked Aug 30th instead of today. It took a while, but he worked it all out with the end result being even better: free rooms for three nights, $100 free play and $150 in food comps—very nice!
We drove to the Four Queens where he checked in. We walked up to the room, placed the Do Not Disturb sign outside the door and then went down to the Chicago Pizza lounge where we ordered Pizza. We were soon joined by a lot of the ECLVA group who were downtown doing a “Pub Run” and came over to eat and hang with us for a while. We had a really nice time with some great pizza and chatting.
Lydia, Me, Cindy, Catherine, Eva, Paul, Terry, and Bob (Harv and Dave not pictured)
The Fremont is alive and well. A couple of bare-breasted nuns posing for pictures—insane! I didn’t take a pic—absolutely no class or sensitivity. Police close by—do nothing.
Terry signed off the bill as part of his food comp and I drove him back to the Mirage and then it was back to the Cromwell for a good night’s sleep.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 24 Cost: $389 Won: $2285 Balance: $1896
Having now stayed one night at the Cromwell and enjoyed their free breakfast, I am prepared to make a rather bold statement. I’ve stayed in perhaps hundreds of different rooms in countless hotels over the past 13 years that I’ve been doing these reports. I’ve stayed at the Ritz, the Marriott’s, the Hiltons, the W’s and the assortment of Caesars properties. This is, without question, the best place I’ve stayed at in terms of service and quality.
My USA TODAY was in a plastic Cromwell bag on the door in the morning and the coffee in the elevator lobby was I believe Starbucks French Roast. When I arrived at my room last night, there was turndown service with two waters, a bag of gourmet cookies and the robes laid out across the bed.
The only negatives that I can muster are that the room is on the small side and because I’m on the side with Flamingo Dr., there is the noise of sirens and people. These are small quibbles when I see the quality of service. The free breakfast (let’s see how long this continues knowing Caesars propensity to take away anything that doesn’t show a profit) is not your run-of-the-mill freebie you see in most places. You’re greeted by the host who simply checks your name off the hotel guest list. The place they serve breakfast (as you’ll see in the pictures) is a bar alcove at night with a DJs and is roped off for guests. There is a omelet-to-order station, and a stand with potatoes O’Brian, sausage, bacon, oatmeal, fresh cut fruits, breads, and melons. The food is prepared fresh and is delicious. The coffee is fresh and the orange juice freshly squeezed. Anywhere else, this is a $25 dollar breakfast.
My decision to not give them any play here soon evaporated because now I want to get invited back, so after breakfast I played some penny games (video poker is abysmal) and actually did pretty good going from one game to the next after hitting a bonus or losing $20. After the session of putting on about a 100 tier points, I left up $25.
Jeanne Marie (noahcat), who came into town with her husband Norman and joined us yesterday at the golf tournament, is an LVA favorite. She’s big time into the different hotels toiletries and I’m the first of our group to be staying at the Cromwell, so she wanted some samples. I gathered them up and drove to the Palazzo where I parked my car (a great parking spot for this portion of the Strip is the underground parking here just of Sands). I played some Quick Quads for nickels (an actual reasonable play in a very unreasonable place to gamble), but though I had a good share of quads, I just couldn’t get to my cash out point and lost.
The waterfall between the Palazzo and the Venetian
The pond area at the Palazzo entrance. Quite understated for the usual displays here
I headed across the street to the Wynn. JM was staying at the Encore. I didn’t have her phone number, so I was hoping to find her somewhere in the casino.
Beautiful carousel of flowers in the Wynn Atrium
Both the Wynn and the Encore were not very busy, so it wasn’t too difficult to see JM playing. However, I couldn’t find her or Norman anywhere. I called up David and asked if he had her number. He didn’t but he thought Harv might. David gave me Harv’s number and I called him who then gave me her cell number. I finally reached her cell, but only got a voice mail. I left a message to call me and said I’d hang at the Encore for about 20 minutes. I played some Buffalo games and lost (of course) and the call came. She, Norm, and Paul were at the Rio. So, I walked back to the Palazzo, picked up my car, and drove to the Rio where I found them playing in the VP section. Yes, it seems like a lot just to deliver some toiletries, but JM is worth it.
Today on the agenda was to pick up Terry (dorianmac) at the airport at 5:40 and then meet Cindy, her daughter Daniele, and her boyfriend Robert who were driving in from San Diego at the same time. I had some time to kill, so I went across the street to the Palms and saw the movie HERCULES. It got a pretty good rating from Rotten Tomatoes, but I found it to be just what it was, a lot of fight scenes and The Rock showing off his muscles. I did play the 9/6 50-plays for 2-cents for a while, but like the rest of this trip, it was another losing session. I got a text from Terry saying the plane was going to be 20 minutes late because Denver has a big storm going by the airport. I hung out at the corner bar in the airport enjoying a beer ($10!).
While at the airport, a text from Cindy came in saying they were in town, so I suggested they check in (the kids are at the Flamingo) and after I dropped Terry off at the Mirage, I’d come meet them at the Diamond Lounge in the Flamingo. Terry is double booked at both the Mirage and the Four Queens as both offered some free play and meals he didn’t want to lose. After dropping him off at the Mirage, it was agreed that he’s check in there and then walk down to the Cromwell and meet us so I could then run him downtown to check into the Four Queens. It’s blasphemy for an advantage player to turn down free play and food.
I joined Cindy and the kids in the Diamond Lounge. It was past the 6:30 deadline for hot food (stupid), so we ordered drinks and they had some chips and other small appetizers. Cindy and I went over to the Cromwell for her to get settled in and Terry joined us. It turned out when he arrived at the Mirage; they had him booked Aug 30th instead of today. It took a while, but he worked it all out with the end result being even better: free rooms for three nights, $100 free play and $150 in food comps—very nice!
We drove to the Four Queens where he checked in. We walked up to the room, placed the Do Not Disturb sign outside the door and then went down to the Chicago Pizza lounge where we ordered Pizza. We were soon joined by a lot of the ECLVA group who were downtown doing a “Pub Run” and came over to eat and hang with us for a while. We had a really nice time with some great pizza and chatting.
Lydia, Me, Cindy, Catherine, Eva, Paul, Terry, and Bob (Harv and Dave not pictured)
The Fremont is alive and well. A couple of bare-breasted nuns posing for pictures—insane! I didn’t take a pic—absolutely no class or sensitivity. Police close by—do nothing.
Terry signed off the bill as part of his food comp and I drove him back to the Mirage and then it was back to the Cromwell for a good night’s sleep.
More tomorrow
Totals:
Tournaments: 24 Cost: $389 Won: $2285 Balance: $1896
